ROB LONGLEY -- Toronto Sun

If quarterback Casey Printers gets the itch to return to the CFL, the Argos want to provide the scratch.

Unable to crack the lineup with the Kansas City Chiefs this season, the CFL's Outstanding Player of 2004 could become a free agent in February.

SUCCESSOR

And if that happens, the Argos intend to chase him as a successor to veteran Damon Allen and quarterback of the future.

"If the time comes that he has a desire to come back to Canadian football, we would obviously look at Casey Printers as a potential quarterback of the future," Argos president Keith Pelley said yesterday.

The team covets Printers enough that it has requested permission to negotiate with him from the B.C. Lions, which still holds his CFL rights.

Even if the Lions were to grant that request though, because Printers is still under contract to the Chiefs, those negotiations couldn't legally take place unless K.C. released him following the NFL season.

"We'd be interested in having a conversation with Casey Printers," Pelley said. "But right now, his CFL rights are retained by B.C. and he's under contract to (the Chiefs) so we can't have the conversation."

He can, however, have a chat with Allen, the 43-year-old veteran who was benched in each of the Argos two playoff games. Pelley said he plans to meet with Allen soon to discuss whether he intends to return for 2007.

The Argos have yet to extend Allen's contract, making him eligible for free agency on Feb. 15. Following the Eastern Division Final loss to the Montreal Alouettes, Allen said he was unsure about his future.

Should he become available, Printers could be a hot off-season commodity. The 25-year-old Texan made quite an impression in his first full season, starting 14 games for the Lions and passing for 5,088 yards in 2004.

After splitting duties with Dave Dickenson in '05, Printers was signe d by the Chiefs, where he has spent most of the season on the practice roster.

Though the Lions retain Printers' CFL rights, they seem content with Grey Cup MVPDickenson and backup Buck Pierce, who recently signed a three-year extension.